Red Dust is an ordinary melodrama that stars Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and Mary Astor. It was directed by Victor Fleming. It’s notable because Clark Gable playing Dennis Carson, launched a career playing masculine roles, and was on his way to becoming The King of Hollywood.
The story is about Dennis Carson, who owns a rubber plantation in Southeast Asia. Jean Harlow plays Vantine, who’s living with Carson. Carson gets along with Vantine, until an employee, Gary Willis, played by Gene Raymond, also brings his wife, Barbara, played by Mary Astor. It isn’t long before a romance pops up between Barbara and Dennis. Barbara is consumed by this affair, and so is Carson. This continues, until one day, when Gary Willis is having a conversation with Carson in the rain, about how he loves his wife, and wants to start a family. Gable is overwhelmed with guilt, and decides to end the affair. He tells Barbara, that she means nothing to him. She is angry and hurt, and shoots Carson, and leaves the plantation with her husband. The movie ends with Gable being nursed back to health by Jean Harlow’s character, Vantine.
Red Dust stands out not only because of Clark Gable, but also because of Jean Harlow. She exudes sex appeal, and is scantily clad through most of the movie. Her and Gable had great screen chemistry in this film. It was noted by the studio, and they were paired in five more movies.
Jean Harlow was the first blonde bombshell of the sound era. Red Dust cemented her career. She should have had a very long career in Hollywood. It was not to be. She passed away in 1937 at the age of 26.
Although Red Dust is a simple movie about adultery, it is still watchable. The scene between Gene Raymond and Clark Gable’s characters, when they hunt a lion in a tree in the rain is one of the better scenes in the film. This is when Gable realizes its wrong to hurt such a good man. Mary Astor has a good performance as Gary Willis’ wife. This movie, if nothing else, starts the careers of Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and Mary Astor.